Anything welding

if it doesn’t leave you with a better finished product or requires more work to get an “almost” as good final result it’s not an equal process for the job. But like it said it’s a better process for some jobs.

 

I'm talking about the idea that mig is superior as if it will make your welds better. It won't. The fact you don't have to take a wire wheel to it doesn't make MIG welds stronger, nor will switching to gas make my welds look better. You can stack dimes with any process.

I've gotten by quite fine welding to my little truck with flux core. Gas is in my near future for sure, but not because I think it will magically make my welds "better."

 

I would disagree with you in multiple areas of your statement. I do agree that it won’t necessarily make your welds better, but the majority of it time it does. I can’t prove it, but I think it helps beginners because it’s easier to see the puddle develope with gas. That’s just something I’ve noticed from teaching guys at work.

The fact that you don’t have to wire wheel makes it far less likely that you will contaminate your welds at the start stops and tie ins. I don’t have a ton of flux core time, but I did go to school for stick welding. One of the hardest part of passing your structural practical is the removal of flux in between passes. I don’t think many beginners have the experience required to know if they are getting all the flux removed. Which can easily lead to contamination.

Switching to gas will almost most definetly make most peoples welds look better. I’d say at least 7 out of 10 people who switch over from flux to gas will see far better looking welds within the first day. (not saying better looking=stronger)

With that said I agree that with a 110v welder, flux can be a good choice for penetration.. If it isn’t gonna make an improvement why switch to gas? To me personally, flux core has about as much place in vehicle fabrication as angle iron and pipe does. I’d be pissed if I ordered a suspension kit from camburg a it showed up flux core. Not because it would it would be weak, but because they could of got better results with a different practice that takes the same or less time than producing it with flux.

I’m sure you get good results with your welder and I agree it’s possible. I just don’t recommend it to new guys as equal to gas for this work.

 

So what we learned is it works fine, doesn't look as good but that doesn't mean anything, solid core helps newbies and if we bought a part that was 115v self shielded together we would be asking for a refund. So the process is not inferior if you know what you are doing. You can still get that dime stacking effect with flux core, once you get good with it you dont even get much spatter.

Really any new welder should learn on stick, the MIG process can teach newbies bad habits and mask some serious defects because they have a nice looking weld that got then a bunch of likes on the gram and they think good looking = strong.

Even if I had 220 in my garage I would probibly still be flux coring on this truck since 95% of my welding is on a part that has rust on it, some paint and general oil and crap on it as my truck is in general a mess from wheeling. You can blast through that crap and it doesn't need to be 100% clean. Before the e welders jump on me, I prep and get most of the crap off of there, but there is still shit in the corner or on the surface that one cannot get to with normal means.

For the trail I have jumper cables and electrodes (6011 and 7 something) to deal with mud slop and shit I'll be welding in on the trail to get my butt home.

 

Bought a ESAB Rebel 205 a few months ago, didn't even get an hour of use out of it and the high frequency board died... Now been over a month getting repaired, feel like they should just replace it.. Am I wrong?

 

That sucks. That’s probably the biggest downside to the new inverter based welders. I love my dynasty but every time I flip the switch I pray today isn’t it’s day to burn up a board. Depending on how long you’ve had it I’d definitely want a new one. I don’t know too much about repairs, but if I had a welder less than 3 months and it broke I wouldn’t want it back.

did they have you send it direct to them or to an authorized repair facility?

 

All this talk about buying welders made me get to thinking about the last time I used any of mine. I guess it was the millermatic 210 back this summer, had a friend come by needing and air conditioner bracket welded. The miller bobcat gets used as a generator to run the house when the power goes out more than it does welding anymore. The Lincoln, well you can tell it hasn’t been used lately. The Ellis 1600 metal bandsaw is awesome, it stands up as well as swivels 45 degrees either way. The last few years I’ve used it to cut wood more than metal.

I used to make a good amount of money after work welding, back when I was working one job and only 40 hours a week. Now most of my welding gets done at work while the milling machine is running. We also have the same Ellis bandsaw at work.

All these machines paid for themselves doing side work. After 30+years of welding, I’m kinda burnt out on it.

 

I feel ya. I use mine to fund my fishing trips. Since everything is finally paid for, not as many jobs are required, thus I don't get "burned out" quite as quickly.

I really like going ocean fishing in the keys and never having to worry about the costs.

I still do some shitty jobs, but I have no issue charging extra. If I'm gonna be sore for a week, I'm gonna get paid.

It's been a while since I had a customer I had to "fire". These are the guys that look at the price of something on Amazon and want you to build or install it for $7/hr.

 

A man told me once “charge what you think it’s worth, they’ll either pay you or quit calling you”.

 

I started doing that when working on people’s trucks, mainly cmc’s. I really didn’t want to do it and was like “this is how much it’d cost to motivate me. I don’t expect you to pay it.” And he did much to my surprise. So now that’s my new price and no one seems to have an issue with it.

 

Yeah, that's pretty lame.

I'd start being the squeaky wheel if you haven't already, that's unacceptable customer service.

 

That’s a variation of the old business adage of “never tell a customer No. Price the job to where either you’re willing to do it or you can hire someone to do it for them.”

 

That is Esab for you Parts take forever .

3 months is not uncommon wait for parts.

Want the welder replaced get in touch with your local Esab rep if you can locate one they never last very long.

They could make it happen doubtful but you might get lucky

Esab is by far the worst to get warranty claims processed

 

Not really that is quite normal for Esab I can see this going to 3 months quite easy waiting for a board

We are at the Mercy of Esab for the last 2 years or so getting Parts has been an ordeal as a Warranty Repair Vendor to the point the business might not be worth the abuse we take from Customers.

It has been so bad some distributors try and talk people out of buying Esab machines

If you want to Bitch do it to the Esab Rep !! Not the Repair vendor .

 

The shop sent it to a local repair shop..
The manager at the welding store, his son is the ESAB rep, I've talked with him before, even have his number.. So not sure how that would or wouldn't play into things.. I ask the guy about just switching me out with a new one, and he said some crap about the warranty wouldn't match with the new one in relation to part number?..
I'm thinking giving me a new one makes sense.. It'd really suck if someone was depending on it for income.

 

The sad part is this happens to people trying to make a living really no different then your case.

Not real sure what the deal is with a replacement machine .

We have had Esab give new machines for failed ones in most cases the warranty is just transfers to the new machine if you have a issue with the second machine under warranty it is documented .The only case where it gets some what strange is your warranty machine has been discontinued and has to be replaced by a newer model with none of the older machines in the system.

The rep can help speed things up maybe get your board faster who can say It can`t hurt !!!

The manufactures Rep in any business is to help Customers get problems solved !! Arrange a demo of the newest machines . Authorize Travel Time on Warranty Machine Service Rentals paid by Manufactures while doing Warranty repairs

I have seen Miller and Lincoln replace machines more often then they sell more then Esab

 

Thanks for the input..
Yeah, The store manager said the repair shop was closed until next week.. If something isn't rolling then, I'm gonna start pressing for a new machine, I feel like that's reasonable.. I'd rather have a new one, considering I bought new and barely used it and it failed so quick, I don't like that and waiting for so long ontop of having some diving into its guts.. It's like loaning your chick off for a while or something.

 

I guessing the HF welders are looking pretty attractive now?

Get this unit fixed and unload it and get one from HF.

Great return process, great hours, lots of stores to choose from.

That or spend the real money and get a transformer based machine.

Thanks for posting your issues. It will help others shopping for a machine.

 

Sure no problem.

I had bought the ESAB Rebel 215 last year, sold it.. And bought the 205 right after, as soon as they were available, bc I wanted to TIG alum.. They were taking a long time getting to the stores tho.

Do you mean Harbor Freight (HF)? How's the quality?

My whole reason for getting the 205 was trying to have a all around little setup, not for any major ops.. And all I had heard was good from the 215, so I assumed the 205 would be good as well..
I've heard of others having issues with other brands, in relation to the high frequency boards being temperamental..

 

Do you have a repair shop?

I meant to add, I've been super cool about this.. The manager told me it would be around 3weeks the day I took it to the shop, which was Veterans Day.. I didn't even contact him until it had been a month.. I try and not bug people, however it's definitely stretching thin on the wait. And I've been having to remind him since, like once a week or two, via text.. Might just call his son the ESAB rep, next week.